CN112009332B

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: CN112009332B
Application number: CN201910472806.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: P·W·亚力山大; N·D·曼卡姆; W·M·金姆; N·L·约翰逊
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2019-05-31
Filing date: 2019-05-31
Publication date: 2022-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 2039-05-31
Also published as: CN112009332A

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a first knitted fabric layer defining an outer surface and a second knitted fabric layer defining an inner surface. The inner surface is opposite the outer surface. The vehicle seat also includes a knitted spacer fabric interconnecting the first knitted fabric layer and the second knitted fabric layer. The knitted spacer fabric resiliently biases the first knitted fabric layer and the second knitted fabric layer away from each other. The knitted spacer fabric is configured to flex when a seated occupant applies an occupant load on the vehicle seat. The first knitted fabric layer is more resilient than the second knitted fabric layer to conform to a seated occupant when the seated occupant applies an occupant load on the vehicle seat.

Description

Technical knitted structure for comfortable seating

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to technical knit structures for comfortable seating.

Background

A seat assembly (e.g., for a vehicle) includes a generally upright seat back and a generally horizontal lower seat base. Each of the seat back and seat bottom typically includes a frame, a suspension, a cushion, and trim material. The trim material is used to cover the cushion, suspension, and frame and provide an outer surface for contact with an occupant of the seat assembly. The frame provides a support structure to connect the seat back and lower seat base to each other and/or to the vehicle. The cushion is typically made of an expandable foam material and is molded into a predetermined shape as required by the shape of the seat back and lower seat bottom. The configuration of the trim material, cushion and suspension collectively determine the contact area of an occupant seated in the seat assembly, as well as the pressure distribution of the contact pressure experienced by the seated occupant. The comfort of the seated occupant is affected by the area and pattern of contact of the occupant with the lower seat bottom and seat back surfaces, and by the maximum contact pressure and pressure distribution of the contact pressure experienced by the seated occupant.

Disclosure of Invention

In some embodiments, the knitted spacer fabric includes first and second support regions spaced apart from each other along a horizontal direction, the first and second support regions being stiffer than a remainder of the knitted spacer fabric to limit load transfer when a seated occupant applies an occupant load on the vehicle seat, and the first and second support regions being positioned to receive an ischial pair of the seated occupant. The first layer of knitted fabric may include first and second layer regions spaced apart from one another along a horizontal direction, the first and second layer regions being stiffer than a remainder of the first layer of knitted fabric to limit load transfer when a seated occupant applies occupant load on the vehicle seat. The first layer region and the second layer region are positioned to receive ischial pairs of a seated occupant. The first layer region of the first knitted fabric layer is aligned along a first vertical axis with the first support region of the interconnect such that the first vertical axis intersects the first layer region and the first support region. The second layer area of the second knitted fabric layer is aligned with the second support area of the interconnect along a second vertical axis such that the second vertical axis intersects the second layer area and the second support area, the first vertical axis is parallel to the second vertical axis, and the first vertical axis is spaced apart from the second vertical axis along the horizontal direction. The first layer region of the first knitted fabric layer is aligned with the first support region of the interconnecting member along a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the horizontal direction, and the first layer region and the second layer region are aligned with each other along a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction so as to receive the ischial pair of a seated occupant. Each of the first and second support regions extends from the first knitted fabric layer to the second knitted fabric layer to limit transfer of loads through the first and second support regions in the first and second knitted fabric layers to support the pair of ischial bones of the seated occupant when the seated occupant applies occupant loads on the vehicle seat.

The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present disclosure are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the disclosure when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle seat including a lower seat base and a seat back;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat of FIG. 2 depicting a seated occupant applying an occupant load on the seat;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between occupant loading and seat displacement shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a vehicle seat according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat of FIG. 5 taken along section line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a first knitted fabric layer and a second knitted fabric layer prior to placement on an airbag;

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the first and second knitted fabric layers of FIG. 7 positioned on an airbag;

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a first knitted fabric layer and a second knitted fabric layer prior to placement on an airbag and prior to bending; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of the first and second knitted fabric layers of FIG. 9 positioned on an airbag.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, a vehicle seat 10 (i.e., a seat for installation in a vehicle) is schematically illustrated. Theseat 10 includes alower seat base 14, a seat back 18, and ahead restraint 22. In some embodiments, thelower seat base 14 may include aflexible base cover 26 that defines at least a portion of the exterior of thelower seat base 14. For example, theflexible base cover 26 may define a generallyhorizontal surface 30 for supporting a seated occupant SO (FIG. 3). Theseat back 18 is mounted relative to thelower seat base 14. In some embodiments, theseat back 18 is rigidly mounted relative to thelower seat base 14. In certain embodiments, theseat back 18 is pivotally mounted relative to thelower seat base 14 such that a seated occupant SO can adjust the angle between theseat back 18 and thelower seat base 14.

In some embodiments, theseat back 18 may include a flexiblerear cover 34 that defines at least a portion of a surface of theseat back 18, including a generally vertical surface 38, the surface 38 providing support for the back of a seated occupant. Ahead restraint 22 is mounted relative to the seat back 18 near an upper edge of the seat back 18.

Referring to fig. 2-4, thevehicle seat 10 includes a first wovenfabric layer 40, the first wovenfabric layer 40 defining anouter surface 42. In the present disclosure, the term "knit" does not include textile materials. For example, the term "knit" may refer to a weft knit material. In addition, thevehicle seat 10 includes a second knittedfabric layer 44, the second knittedfabric layer 44 defining aninner surface 46, theinner surface 46 being opposite theouter surface 42. Thevehicle seat 10 includes aninterconnect 48 that directly interconnects the first and second knitted fabric layers 40, 44. The interconnectingmembers 48 may be a knit spacer fabric, a strip extending longitudinally between the first and second knit fabric layers 40, 44, vertical tubular links between the first and second knit fabric layers 40, 44. The interconnectingmembers 48 resiliently bias the first and second knitted fabric layers 40, 44 away from each other when no occupant load OL is applied to thevehicle seat 10. Further, theinterconnect 48 is configured to bend when a seated occupant SO exerts an occupant load OL on thevehicle seat 10. In the depicted embodiment, the interconnectingmembers 48 include a plurality ofpile yarns 50, thepile yarns 50 directly interconnecting the first and second knitted fabric layers 40, 44. Thus, thepile yarns 50 are configured to bend when a seated occupant SO exerts an occupant load OL on thevehicle seat 10. Thepile yarns 50 resiliently bias the first and second knitted fabric layers 40, 44 away from each other when an occupant load OL is applied on thevehicle seat 10.Pile yarns 50 may be made of polyester, acrylic, nylon, or other suitable material. Further, the interconnectingmember 48 is a three-dimensional braided structure.

With particular reference to fig. 3 and 4, when a seated occupant SO applies an occupant load OL on thevehicle seat 10, the first knittedfabric layer 40 moves toward the second knittedfabric layer 44, and the interconnectingmembers 48 contract and come together, thereby transferring the load from the first knittedfabric layer 40 to the second knittedfabric layer 44. Fig. 4 shows the relationship between the occupant load OL and the displacement of thevehicle seat 10. When a seated occupant SO is seated on thevehicle seat 10, thevehicle seat 10 has a comfort zone CA in which thevehicle seat 10 accommodates the seated occupant SO, and the interconnectingmembers 48 bend and converge in response to the occupant load OL, thereby improving the comfort of the seated occupant SO.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, in some embodiments, theinterconnect 48 includes afirst support region 52 and asecond support region 54 spaced from each other along the horizontal direction H. The embodiment shown in fig. 5 and 6 is substantially similar to the other embodiments described above. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, only the differences between this embodiment and the above-described embodiments are described below. The first and

second support regions

52, 54 are stiffer than the remainder of the interconnecting members 48 (i.e., the flexible spacing regions 56) to limit load transfer when a seated occupant SO (fig. 3) exerts an occupant load OL (fig. 3) on thevehicle seat 10. The first and

second support areas

52, 54 are positioned to receive the ischial pairs of the seated occupant SO (fig. 3), thereby improving comfort of the seated occupant SO. Theflexible spacer regions 56 are made of a filler material that is softer than the material forming the first and

second support regions

52, 54 to enable better conformability characteristics and less load transfer than other vehicle seats. To this end, the filler material (e.g., pile yarns 50) forming thefirst support regions 52 and thesecond support regions 54 is stiffer and/or denser than the filler material forming theflexible spacer regions 56 to contain the targeted loading regions (i.e., thefirst support regions 52 and the second support regions 54) and to transfer loads directly from the first knittedfabric layer 40 to the second knittedfabric layer 44, which second knittedfabric layer 44 is made of a stiffer material than the material forming the first knittedfabric layer 40. As a result of this configuration, the comfort of the occupant SO seated on thevehicle seat 10 is enhanced. The first and second knitted fabric layers 40, 42 are each tensioned (the tension in the first knittedfabric layer 40 is lower for more comfortable flexibility, while the tension in the second knittedfabric layer 42 is higher for suspension). Thepile yarns 50 are also tensioned or preloaded. Then, when the 3D knitted article (e.g., the vehicle seat 10) is loaded, each filament of thepile yarn 50 bends in an array, exhibits a certain level of rigidity or stiffness before bending, and becomes more flexible and conformal. Then, finally, when the load is sufficient, the first knittedfabric layer 40 may be in contact with the second knittedfabric layer 44, the second knittedfabric layer 44 serving to bear the load due to its higher tension/denser structure, and serving as a suspension.

With continued reference to fig. 5 and 6, the first knittedfabric layer 40 includes afirst layer area 58 and asecond layer area 60 spaced from each other along the horizontal direction H. Thefirst layer region 58 and thesecond layer region 60 are stiffer than the remainder of the first woven fabric layer 40 (i.e., the flexible layer region 62) to limit load transfer when an occupant load OL is exerted on thevehicle seat 10 by a seated occupant SO. Theflexible layer areas 62 on the first knittedfabric layer 40 can be readily adapted to the seated occupant SO for improved comfort.First layer area 58 andsecond layer area 60, on the other hand, are not asflexible layer area 62 and enable loads to be transferred from first knittedfabric layer 40 to second knittedfabric layer 44 throughfirst support area 52 andsecond support area 54 in order to support the ischial bones of a seated occupant SO. Thus, the first and

second support regions

52, 54 are positioned to receive the ischial pairs of the seated occupant SO. As discussed above, the second knittedfabric layer 44 is stiffer than the first knittedfabric layer 40 to support a seated occupant SO. To this end, the second knittedfabric layer 44 may be constructed with a more constraining stitch pattern, stiffer yarns and/or higher pre-stretch yarns than the first knittedfabric layer 40. Thefirst layer region 58 of the first knittedfabric layer 40 is aligned with thefirst support region 52 of the interconnectingmembers 48 along a first vertical axis Y1. As such, the first vertical axis Y1 intersects thefirst floor region 58 and thefirst support region 52 to support one of the ischial pairs of the seated occupant SO.Second layer area 60 of second knittedfabric layer 44 is aligned withsecond support area 54 ofinterconnects 48 along second vertical axis Y2. As such, second vertical axis Y2 intersectssecond layer area 60 andsecond support area 54 to support at least one of the ischial pair of seated occupant SO. The first vertical axis Y1 is parallel to the second vertical axis Y2 to ensure that thefirst floor region 58 and thesecond support region 60 support the ischial bones of the seated occupant SO. The first vertical axis Y1 is spaced apart from the second vertical axis Y2 along the horizontal direction H.The interconnecting members 48 function as pads to support shear loads.

Thefirst layer regions 58 of the first knittedfabric layer 40 are aligned along the vertical direction V with thefirst support regions 52 of the interconnectingmembers 48. The vertical direction V is perpendicular to the horizontal direction H.First layer area 58 andsecond layer area 60 are aligned with each other along longitudinal direction L SO as to receive the ischial pairs of a seated occupant SO. The longitudinal direction L is perpendicular to the vertical direction V and the horizontal direction H. Each of thefirst support region 52 and thesecond support region 54 extends from the first knittedfabric layer 40 to the second knittedfabric layer 44 to limit load transfer through thefirst support region 52 and thesecond support region 54 in the first knittedfabric layer 40 and the second knittedfabric layer 44, respectively, to support the ischial bones of the seated occupant SO when the seated occupant SO exerts an occupant load OL on thevehicle seat 10.

While the best modes for carrying out the disclosure have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this disclosure relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the disclosure within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a first layer of knitted fabric defining an outer surface;

a second knitted textile layer for defining an inner surface, wherein the inner surface is opposite the outer surface;

an interconnect coupling the first knitted fabric layer to the second knitted fabric layer, wherein the interconnect resiliently biases the first and second knitted fabric layers away from each other and is configured to bend when a seated occupant applies an occupant load on the vehicle seat, the interconnect comprising a first support region and a second support region spaced from each other along a horizontal direction, the first and second support regions being stiffer than a remainder of the interconnect to limit load transfer when the seated occupant applies the occupant load on the vehicle seat, and the first and second support regions being positioned to receive an ischial pair of the seated occupant; and is

The first layer of knitted fabric includes first and second layer regions spaced apart from each other along the horizontal direction, the first and second layer regions being stiffer than a remainder of the first layer of knitted fabric to limit load transfer when the seated occupant applies the occupant load on the vehicle seat, and the first and second layer regions being positioned to receive the ischial pairs of the seated occupant;

wherein the first knitted fabric layer is more resilient than the second knitted fabric layer so as to fit the seated occupant when the seated occupant exerts the occupant load on the vehicle seat.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the interconnects comprise a knitted spacer fabric, and the knitted spacer fabric comprises a plurality of pile yarns interconnecting the first knitted fabric layer and the second knitted fabric layer.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the plurality of pile yarns are tensioned.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the tension in the second knitted fabric layer is higher than the tension in the first knitted fabric layer.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the first layer region of the first woven fabric layer is aligned with the first support region of the interconnect along a first vertical axis such that the first vertical axis intersects the first layer region and the first support region.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 5, wherein the second layer area of the second knitted fabric layer is aligned with the second support area of the interconnect along a second vertical axis such that the second vertical axis intersects the second layer area and the second support area, the first vertical axis is parallel to the second vertical axis, and the first vertical axis is spaced apart from the second vertical axis along the horizontal direction.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the first layer region of the first woven fabric layer is aligned with the first support region of the interconnecting member along a vertical direction, the vertical direction being perpendicular to the horizontal direction, the first layer region and the second layer region being aligned with each other along a longitudinal direction so as to receive an ischial pair of the seated occupant, the longitudinal direction being perpendicular to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second support regions extends from the first knitted fabric layer to the second knitted fabric layer to limit transfer of load through the first and second support regions in the first and second knitted fabric layers to support the ischial pairs of the seated occupant when the seated occupant applies the occupant load occupant on the vehicle seat.